Two steps forward...one step back

I did pretty well yesterday. I had a good, healthy breakfast and a light dinner. The only snack between meals was a frozen yogurt cone. (Normally I'd have regular ice cream.) I drank water and walked lots and lots. I chose Minute Maid Light for lunch instead of Dr. Pepper. But, on the flip side, I did have a burger for lunch, then ate 1/3 bag of Cheetos right before bed. Why do I do that? I work so hard all day and then blow it just minutes before the day is over.

Today I'm starting over again. I had a very healthy breakfast. Let's see if I can be good the entire day. As long as I'm making progress, I'm not going to be too hard on myself. I've done enough of that over the years.

How are the rest of you fruities doing? Do you have any strategies going into the weekend?

Introducing myself...

Hi!  I'm Kumquat.  I chose that fruit because it is unique, and because it has a sweet outside and a tart inside.  That kind of fits my personality.
I have struggled with weight issues for a long time.  I was a big baby, and as long as I can remember my Dad would tell me I was chubby and make comments about my size.  I was a chubby toddler, and I always had a round face, but after about Kindergarten I was a pretty average sized girl.  Sports were my thing in grade school and Junior High, and a bit in high school until I got too scared that I wouldn't make varsity and my senior year I chubbed up some.  Running was my emotional outlet back in the days of my teenage angst (along with loud music and wearing black) and I would often run three or more miles a day.  It was a time to be alone with my thoughts, and just run all my emotions away.  Senior year was also when I stopped running as much, and I never really picked it back up after that.
I was fairly thin when I got married.  Thin for me anyway, but 14 years and several children later I am no longer in any shape but round.  After every pregnancy I had intentions of getting back in shape, I just never got around to it, and so I have gotten a little bit bigger with each child.  My husband has expanded right along with me.  We started out with the same waist size when we got married, and we continue to wear the same size now, ten inches later.  We both want to get in better shape and take back our lives.  It would be really nice to be able to keep up with our kids and actually play with them without getting winded.
I am not aiming so much for a certain number on the scale as much as I am aiming to be in better health and to feel more energy.  I know I need to lose quite a bit of weight (according to the BMI it would be great if I weighed 100 lbs less than I do right now) I'd be happy losing 70, which would still put me in the safe zone for my BMI.  I'm starting out with trying to eat healthier.  More salads and fruit instead of seconds of dinner and such, and hoping to start in walking and such soon.  Right now I have a medical condition that prevents me from being able to do heavy exercise, but I am hoping that restriction will be lifted this fall so I can get serious.
Thanks for letting me be part of this blog!

My name is Pear and I am an emotional eater.

I thought I was over it. I thought I was done with pushing down my feelings with grilled cheese and mustard sandwiches, but, alas, I am not. I had a very stressful 3 weeks, the most stressful I've ever had, ever. I had to cope. I had to deal because I couldn't confront or discuss what was making me stressed out... so I ate. So, my stress went away and now I have to try to regain control of my feelings. Taking deep breaths and telling myself, it's gonna be okay and I don't need that last bowl of cereal at night.

I made it!!!

So blogger finally let me on here! I am happy to be a part of the fruit salad. :)

I'll just do a quick post to introduce myself. I am Watermelon. You can call me Melon or Mel for short. The reason that I chose Watermelon is that I'm large all over. In the past, I've always considered myself a pear, but for the past few years, my upper half has become way too big as well.

I don't have any excuses to weigh as much as I do. I have all the knowledge I need about nutrition, exercise and weight loss. I have exercise equipment. I have time to myself. I just don't have any desire to do it.

But I saw a picture of myself the other day. You know, when you look at a picture and can't believe it's really you. That's what happened to me and I want to change.

I have been a huge couch potato for the past 2 years so I have started slowly. The hubs and I go walking a few nights a week. It's not much, but maybe if I do it long enough, I can get back on the treadmill eventually. Some ladies in my neighborhood have invited me to go swimming with them. They go a few nights a week and workout while gabbing. I've gone once and it was fun so hopefully this will be a good way to start exercising without really letting my body think I'm working out. I'll have to trick it! =)

My big vice lately is stress eating. Whenever things get out of control or too busy, I cram my face with food to deal. Sometimes I even eat more than my hubs and he eats a lot! Life is so busy that I need to learn alternative coping techniques. There is something so soothing to me about food and I have been obsessed with it for most of my life.

Anyway, I have 30 pounds I'd like to lose. I'm not going to go really strict because I know I won't stick with it, but I'm going to start trying again and we'll see where I end up.

Thanks again, for inviting me, ladies!

Of Treadmills, Trails and Tracks

When I had a gym membership, how I loved that treadmill. It kept all my information safe for me until I had time to jot it down in my PDA - miles walked/run, average speed, calories burned.

Then we stopped going to the gym, and I was on my own.

Since then I have learned to make do with a straight hour on whatever surface I have available, and it's a bit harder. But there are advantages to "roughing it" I hadn't considered before.

The breakdown:

Treadmill
PROS: Hello, escaping the weather. Where I live, we have rain for at least six months out of the year. I've never run in a solid rain - have you?

Also, the temperature-controlled environment, the TVs, music, cute little spot to put your cell phone (for Facebook checking purposes) and water bottle, other women to compare yourself with, and men to check out. Not that I ever do that.

Safety.

A conveyor belt to make me walk, and walk faster, and eventually run.

And all my workout information right there at my fingertips. I miss that now.

CONS:
You never go anywhere or see anything different.

Driving and wasting gas to get to the gym (every time I did, I felt incredibly stupid).

Time. My gym was about 10-15 minutes away.

Cost (ultimately the deciding factor).

Trails (and roads, I had to be alliterative)
PROS: Free is the best price.

I love the independence of walking right outside my front door and getting started. Just take off walking, baby!

You're outside! The fresh air, the flowers, the changing weather!

Something different to see everywhere you go.

Window-shopping opportunities.

Feeling at one with your community. Waving or nodding to fellow joggers and cyclists.

CONS: You're outside! The car exhaust fumes. The allergies. The weather.

Lack of safety, whether from errant cars, bumps in the road, or menacing figures in dark alleys.

A hard surface, which does not move or propel me forward. That bugs.

Tracks
PROS: No cost, again - free is the best price.

A surface made just for walking and running.

Relative safety. I was first on the track this morning, but within minutes was joined by other exercisers and a practicing high school football team.

Other people to watch, and keep me motivated. "That guy is probably sixty years old - look at him run. I can't let him outdo me, I'm twenty years younger!"

A way to check mileage and distance, at least. I also took along my stopwatch and kept track of how long I can still jog. (It ain't pretty.)

A nice setting.

CONS: Still had to drive to it, but it's actually on my way home from dropping off my husband at work. I would have had to drive home anyway.

The weather, again. But the nice thing about this morning's weather (clouds and a light mist) was that it kept me cool. The gym would get hot sometimes, even with the air conditioner and fans.

Boredom - nothing new to see, just lines and numbers - although it was fun to watch the little football players.

How about you ladies? What's your opinion on these?

Well, it's Aug 1st

Did I reach my goal? (Drum roll) No.

I'm not mad at myself. My clothes are fitting well. That's a good thing. I've only lost like two pounds. I gained and lost the same 3 over and over. If I would have lost the 10 that I intended I don't think anything I have now would fit and I can't afford to buy new clothes right now, so I guess I did myself a favor.

I'm having company come. Company means lots of food. I'm gonna try not to go overboard.